1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a multiple rate metering system applicable to domestic customers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is a well known problem that electricity demand varies considerably during the course of the day with peaks in demand occurring at certain times of day. Utility companies must have the generating capacity to meet the demand in those peak periods. This requires a substantial capital investment in generating equipment, which most of the time is under-utilized. If the utility's customers can be persuaded to change their habits so as to ensure a more uniform consumption of electricity during the course of the day, substantial savings can be achieved, in that the available generating equipment can be operated at near-full capacity for a greater proportion of the time. Some progress has been made in flattening the load curve in the industrial sector by charging preferential rates for off-peak usage. However, little progress has been made in the private sector, largely as a result of the practical problem of converting very large numbers of small consumers over to multiple rate metering, even though the private sector collectively accounts for a major portion of electricity consumption.